It's now time for my once-a-year "don't start Eddie Royal" post. For reference, here's what I wrote last September after Royal racked up five scores in two games:
"Since his breakout rookie year in 2008, Eddie Royal has been fantasy irrelevant—until last week, when he had the best game among all WRs. Before this season he had never scored more than 1 TD in a game. Now he has 5 in 2 games. Do we honestly believe this is a sign of things to come? There are 4 other receivers (Malcolm Floyd, Antonio Gates, Vincent Brown, and Keenan Allen) who are in line for catches each week in San Diego. And QB Philip Rivers will not maintain his pace of 4.912 passing yards and 56 passing TDs. Royal might help your team once every 3-4 weeks going forward. But not like he did in Week 2. And not often enough to waste a waiver pick when there are plenty of better WRs available on the waiver wire."
Despite his incredible start, from Week 3 until Week 17, Royal averaged only 39.8 receiving yards and 0.23 TDs per game--just under five fantasy points per week. In other words, for those who grabbed him too late, he was a complete bust.
My warning about him before Week 3 last year can be replicated today, almost word for word. There are other receivers who will garner more attention as the weeks continue. Rivers is playing out of his mind, and his regression will be felt among all players except Ryan Mathews (when he returns) and potentially Keenan Allen, who will settle into the top 10 WR I projected this preseason.
There's been a lot of buzz about Royal on Twitter. By next week, it will subside. Players with spotty track records who score four times in two games generally don't come anywhere close to sustaining that pace. Trade him away now before he drags down your weekly production.
"Since his breakout rookie year in 2008, Eddie Royal has been fantasy irrelevant—until last week, when he had the best game among all WRs. Before this season he had never scored more than 1 TD in a game. Now he has 5 in 2 games. Do we honestly believe this is a sign of things to come? There are 4 other receivers (Malcolm Floyd, Antonio Gates, Vincent Brown, and Keenan Allen) who are in line for catches each week in San Diego. And QB Philip Rivers will not maintain his pace of 4.912 passing yards and 56 passing TDs. Royal might help your team once every 3-4 weeks going forward. But not like he did in Week 2. And not often enough to waste a waiver pick when there are plenty of better WRs available on the waiver wire."
Despite his incredible start, from Week 3 until Week 17, Royal averaged only 39.8 receiving yards and 0.23 TDs per game--just under five fantasy points per week. In other words, for those who grabbed him too late, he was a complete bust.
My warning about him before Week 3 last year can be replicated today, almost word for word. There are other receivers who will garner more attention as the weeks continue. Rivers is playing out of his mind, and his regression will be felt among all players except Ryan Mathews (when he returns) and potentially Keenan Allen, who will settle into the top 10 WR I projected this preseason.
There's been a lot of buzz about Royal on Twitter. By next week, it will subside. Players with spotty track records who score four times in two games generally don't come anywhere close to sustaining that pace. Trade him away now before he drags down your weekly production.